Congress’ guarantees implemented in Karnataka amid BJP’s false propaganda: DK Shivakumar
Latur, Nov 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday accused the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading disinformation in Maharashtra, asserting that his party has implemented all its poll guarantees in the southern state.
Addressing a press conference, he expressed confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), will win the November 20 assembly elections and give Maharashtra a better government.
He said the Congress government in Karnataka has implemented its five key guarantees, including Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to homemakers, loan waivers up to Rs 3 lakh for farmers, Rs 25 lakh health insurance per family, Rs 4,000 monthly allowance for unemployed youth, and free bus travel for women.
The funds are being directly credited to women’s bank accounts, said the Congress leader.
“The skyrocketing inflation has burdened citizens immensely,” said Shivakumar, and slammed the BJP over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg district in August.
"They even misused funds for this. As a citizen, I feel ashamed,” he said.
He also accused the BJP of not fulfilling its earlier promises, including a railway coach factory in Latur that was supposed to create 50,000 jobs.
“Not a single coach has been produced, nor has anyone gained employment,” he said, alleging that the BJP and PM Modi are running a disinformation campaign.
The Karnataka deputy CM predicted that MVA would win over 175 of the state’s 288 assembly seats and appealed to people to elect late CM Vilasrao Deshmukh’s sons Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh in Latur City and Latur Rural constituencies, respectively.
He also released the ‘Latur Report’, detailing sitting MLA Amit Deshmukh’s contributions to the constituency from 2019 to 2024.
BJP has nominated Archana Patil Chakurkar, daughter-in-law of former Union home minister Shivraj Patil, and Ramesh Kashiram Karad in Latur City and Latur Rural seats, respectively.
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Young woman from MP who shot to fame during Kumbh found to be minor, case registered against husband
Khargone (MP) (PTI): The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes on Friday confirmed that a young woman from Madhya Pradesh who became famous due to her viral videos during the 2025 Maha Kumbh has been found to be a minor after an inquiry.
Citing the findings of an inquiry panel set up by the commission, local BJP leaders alleged that her interfaith marriage in Kerala last month was a case of "love Jihad", and sought legal action.
While the panel had submitted its report in March, ST commission chairman Antar Singh Arya confirmed its findings to the PTI on Friday.
A case for alleged kidnapping and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has already been registered against her husband, a Muslim man, at Maheshwar on the basis of the inquiry findings, police said.
The girl gained national fame after her videos while selling garlands and rudraksha at the Maha Kumbh went viral on social media and also earned her a role in a film.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes set up an inquiry panel after receiving a complaint on March 17 from Pratham Dubey, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, that she was a minor and was being exploited.
Maheshwar BJP MLA Rajkumar Mev and BJP mandal president Vikram Patel, armed with documents, told reporters on Friday that her marriage in Kerala was a case of "love Jihad" and she should be brought back home.
'Love jihad' is a term used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into marriage to convert them to Islam.
Police said an investigation is underway, and further action would be taken accordingly.
The girl, who belongs to the nomadic Pardhi community, got married at a temple in Kerala in March. The interfaith marriage drew angry reactions from rightwing Hindu groups.
Her family members and film director Sanoj Mishra -- who had offered her a film role after she became famous -- too alleged that it was 'love Jihad'.
As per the inquiry conducted by the ST commission, records at the Maheshwar government hospital showed the woman's date of birth as December 30, 2009 which meant she was 16 years and two months old at the time of marriage, said Dubey, the complainant.
On a complaint filed by her father, police registered a case against the girl's husband at Maheshwar police station on March 25 for alleged kidnapping and under the POCSO Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police sources said that a separate case was also registered on March 24 under section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (taking a minor from lawful custody of guardian without their consent) based on the the commission's findings.
